(TibetanReview.net, Jul17’26) – As China’s so-called Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress continues to be criticized around the world for its merciless intent to assimilate the country’s ethnic minorities, 39 organisations representing Hong Kong, Tibetan, Uyghur, Taiwanese and other diaspora communities in Australia and around the world have issued a joint statement and held protests on Jul 15.
China claims that the law is designed to create a “shared” national identity among the country’s 55 ethnic minority groups. However, it is a penal law, and it also targets overseas critics of this law and its implementation.
Richard Lue, founder of the Western Australian Association for Pan-Asian Democracy and a co-organiser of the statement, told the ABC the legislation could affect human rights advocates “no matter where they are, including those in Australia”, reported abc.net.au Jul 16.
“This law institutionalises forced assimilation within China while extending Beijing’s authoritarian reach beyond its borders,” the report quoted the joint statement published on social media on Jul 15, as saying.
“We stand together in global solidarity to warn the international community of this grave escalation.”
While Tibetans around the world have responded in different ways to protest against the law, (including with a protest self-immolation before the UN Headquarters in New York City on Jul 2), in Melbourne, activists staged a 24-hour hunger strike earlier this month, the report said.
Feng Chongyi, a China expert at the University of Technology Sydney, has said Beijing had long pushed policies that weakened ethnic minority languages and cultures. He has said the new law has essentially “legitimised” the suppression of freedom of expression, and made the violation of the law a “criminal offence”.
Dr Feng has noted that an article in the new law also allows Beijing to take legal action against overseas organisations and individuals accused of “undermining ethnic unity” or “creating ethnic division”.
Jane Poon, president of the community group Australia Hong Kong Link, has said the law bears a resemblance to the Hong Kong National Security Law — introduced in 2020 — which grants the Chinese government greater power to quash dissent. However, the new law has a much broader impact, she has added.
In Taiwan, Chen Ching Kuen, executive director of Taiwan Nation Association, has said the new law could discourage Taiwanese people from expressing political views.
“Those who support maintaining the cross-strait status quo or Taiwan’s participation in international organisations could face fabricated accusations,” he has said.
“China wants people to censor themselves, not speak out, not speak the truth, and withdraw from any kind of community spaces that promote anything other than the Han Chinese identity,” the report quoted a Dr Bedford as saying, perhaps referring to Dr Zoë Bedford, an Australian human rights advocate and the Chief Executive Officer of the Australia Tibet Council (ATC).
The report cited a spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as having previously told the ABC the government had raised concerns about the law “directly with China and at the UN Human Rights Council, adding “all people in Australia, regardless of citizenship, are protected by Australian law and enjoy Australian political freedoms.”
However, Richard Lue, from the Western Australian Association for Pan-Asian Democracy, has said Australia’s response was “far from enough”, that “it only expresses some concerns to the Chinese government. More needs to be done.”
Mr Lue, Ms Poon and Dr Bedford have called on Australia to consider stronger measures, including targeted Magnitsky-style sanctions — such as travel bans and asset freezes — against those responsible for the legislation.
Ms Poon has said she and other activists would continue to protest.